Expenditure: Office Equipment

Lord Bates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average purchase price, excluding value added tax, of a 500-sheet ream of white A4 80 gsm photocopier paper paid by the Exports Credits Guarantee Department in the latest period for which figures are available; and how much it spent in total on all photocopier paper in the last year for which figures are available.

Lord Davies of Abersoch: ECGD spent a total of £14,995 excluding VAT on A4 80 gsm paper for use in photocopiers at an average cost of £2.70 per 500 sheet ream during the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009. Additionally, in the same period, ECGD purchased 40 reams of A4 Blue Duo copier paper at £2.99/ream, total cost of £ 119.60 excl VAT.
	ECGD used Evolve branded paper which is a high-quality 100 per cent post-consumer recycled paper.

House of Lords: Office Equipment

Lord Bates: To ask the Chairman of Committees further to his Written Answer on 11 January (WA 129), what was the total expenditure excluding value added tax on photocopier paper by the House of Lords in the latest year for which figures are available.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: Total expenditure on standard white 80 gsm photocopier paper (A4 and A3) in financial year 2008-09 was £19,887.98, excluding VAT.

House of Lords: Service Charges

Lord Colwyn: To ask the Chairman of Committees why the Refreshment Department charges VAT on the compulsory 12.5 per cent service charge for functions in the House of Lords when VAT is already charged on the cost of functions.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: HMRC rules require that VAT be levied on compulsory service charges. However, the gratuities and service charge system is currently under review and the Refreshment Committee will consider the review's recommendations early in the new Parliament.

Roads: Restrictions

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the judgment of the High Court in Peake v Director of Public Prosecutions published on 19 February, they will review the extent to which motorists are provided with an appropriate degree of certainty as to the restrictions in force on the road on which they are travelling.

Lord Adonis: The Department for Transport has no plans to review the signing of speeding restrictions on roads as a result of this judgment because the judgment appears to accord with the department's understanding of the position in relation to the legal requirements applying to speed limit signs.

Traffic Management Act 2004

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the provisions of the Traffic Management Act 2004 relating to the civil enforcement of moving traffic contraventions, including infringements of mandatory cycle lanes, will be brought into force.

Lord Adonis: The Department for Transport is currently liaising with the Local Government Association to seek its views on the priority that its members outside London give to the introduction of the moving traffic contraventions provisions under part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004. A decision on the timing of implementation of these provisions will be made when these views are clear to the department.
	The provisions cover a range of moving traffic contraventions as set out in Schedule 7, Part 4 of the Traffic Management Act, including those on cycle tracks and mandatory cycle lanes.